DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL FOUNDATIONS
COGNATE STUDIES IN
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
The Educational Psychology program within the Department of Psychological and Social Foundations invites
doctoral students from program areas within and outside the College of Education to consider pursuing cognate studies in the area of Educational Psychology. Our faculty members have strong research credentials,
have been recognized nationally and internationally, and are eager to work with advanced graduate students
who are interested in developing or further refining their research and scholarship competencies through
cognate coursework. Check the website for additional courses and updates to this information:
http://www.coedu.usf.edu/main/departments/psf/EP.
To complete a cognate in Educational Psychology, doctoral students need to complete a minimum of 12 semester hours of coursework at the 7000 level. The courses that meet the criteria for inclusion in the cognate
are listed below. However, students may petition the Educational Psychology program coordinator to include
an alternative course or a directed study as part of their cognate. For example, the Educational Psychology
faculty may offer new or experimental courses periodically, or a student who has completed one of the courses below with a faculty member may obtain that faculty member’s consent to deepen his or her knowledge
and research competence in that area by completing a Directed Research project with that faculty member. In
those cases, the student should obtain the signed approval of the Program Coordinator of Educational Psychology before he or she enrolls for the class. Some of the classes are usually offered during the summer term.
In addition to cognate studies, we now have a new doctoral concentration under the Curriculum and Instruction program in the College of Education. It is also possible to combine a specialization in Educational Psychology with the college’s Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program. We hope that the courses described below will
prove helpful not only to students anticipating cognate studies but to those planning to take advantage of the
Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program option to specialize in our program area as well. Our courses each have research competencies embedded within them.
EDF 7265 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ORAL AND WRITTEN LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT (4 credits) Theoretical and empirical perspectives on monolingual and
bilingual language and literacy development and their
implications for language and literacy instruction.
Taught by Dr. Lopez, Offered: Spring
EDF 7357 APPLICATIONS OF DEVELOPMENTAL
THEORIES (4 credits) An introductory course that helps
students to understand various theories of development
that have implications for curriculum design, student
learning, and other educational and mental health practices. This course is offered via distance learning periodically.
Taught by Dr. DeMarie, Offered: Fall
EDF 7359 RESILIENCE IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (4
credits) Theoretical and empirical examination of how
and why some individuals manage to overcome adversities and serious threats to optimal development without
significant psychological scars. Resilience will be examined from a developmental perspective — with attention
to social and cultural influences — addressing such questions as “What are the primary risk and protective factors
at different stages of human development?” and “What
are the intervention and prevention strategies that can be
used to facilitate resilience?”
Taught by Dr. Tan, Offered: Fall
EDF 7138 ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT (4 credits)
This course examines adolescent development in the
physical, cognitive, social, and motivational domains.
Academic achievement, social and cultural contexts, developmental theory, methodology, and educational practices and policies are discussed.
Taught by Dr. Kiefer, Offered: Fall
EDF 7145 COGNITIVE ISSUES IN INSTRUCTION (4
credits) Selected cognitive models of intelligence,
memory, problem solving, thinking, and motivation applied to instructional strategies.
Taught by: Dr. DeMarie, Offered: Spring
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PROGRAM AREA FACULTY
methodology. Research Interests: Research funded by
3 federal grants (NIH; ACF) to study: bilingual language
and literacy development in young children; phonological awareness and cross-language transfer; school readiness development in young Latino children; parent
involvement in young children’s education; cultural
factors in the attitudes and expectations of immigrant
parents towards education; home and classroom experiences on academic achievement in Head Start.
Contact: 974-1260; lmlopez@usf.edu
Sarah Kiefer, Ph.D. (University of Illinois), Associate Professor & Program Coordinator for Educational
Psychology. Teaching Interests: Human development
and learning; adolescent development; motivation; peer
relationships. Research Interests: Academic and social
motivation, how it develops over time, and how it impacts young adolescents’ adjustment in elementary and
middle school; the role of peers and contextual influences on adolescent motivation; help-seeking beliefs
and behaviors in the classroom.
Contact: 974-0155; kiefer@usf.edu
Kofi Marfo, Ph.D. (University of Alberta), Professor. Teaching Interests: Cognition, learning, and instruction; development and learning in the early years; atypical development. Research Interests: Contextual influences on early development and education; processes
and efficacy of early intervention; children’s cognitive
strategies and school learning; parent-child interaction;
instructional processes in inclusive classrooms; student
perceptions of learning environments.
Contact: 974-0439; marfo@usf.edu
Darlene DeMarie, Ph.D. (University of Florida),
Associate Professor. Fulbright Scholar to South Africa
2007-2008 and 2008-2009. Teaching Interests: Child development; theories of development; early childhood
development; cognitive development; memory. Research Interests: Memory strategy development; children’s photography as a way to represent experiences
through their own eyes; schools’ missions and achievement reflected in children’s photographs; early childhood curriculum, meaningful learning, child care.
Contact: 974-7209; demarie@usf.edu
Tony Xing Tan, Ed.D. (Harvard University), Associate Professor. Teaching Interests: Human development and personality theories; resilience in human development; childhood trauma and development. Research Interests: The post-adoption social and emotional
adjustment of children adopted from China; the development of ethnic identity of Chinese adoptees.
Contact: 974-6496; tan@usf.edu
Lisa M. López, Ph.D. (University of Miami),
Associate Professor. Teaching Interests: Child development; language and literacy development; second language acquisition; theories of development; research
For additional information, call or e-mail:
Dr. Sarah Kiefer
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator
Educational Psychology
University of South Florida
4202 East Fowler Avenue – STOP: EDU 105 (Program located in EDU 380)
Tampa, Florida 33620-5650
Tel: 813-974-0155; e-mail: edpsych.usf.edu
Educational Psychology Program Website: http://www.coedu.usf.edu/main/departments/psf/EP
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